Is 2-seat mobility scooter allowed on pavement?

TomD77
TomD77 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Connected
edited June 2020 in Transport and travel
Hello everyone, I wish to ask you all a question today, since I lack knowledge on this on my own and can't seem to find it in the internet. Basically mom of my friend had a stroke few years back and she can't really move on her own. My friend Mark wants to do something about it, like take her out for a drive outdoors on daily basis.

As far as I know there are mobility scooters with 2 seats, similar to this one: https://velobike.co.uk/en/shop/3-wheel-scooters/zt18

From what I understand they can ride legaly on road, in UK with speed of 8 mph at most, but does anyone know if such a vehicle would be able to ride on pavement in UK at all? As far as I know the legal speed on pavement is 4 mph for mobility scooters but are 2 seaters like this allowed at all on pavement or are they excluded due to carrying 2 people?

If anyone can answer me this, I would be really thankfull

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi there 

    From what I have read on the internet they are not legal to ride on pavements or roads as they don't meet the definition of and invalid carriage in law 

    www.eta.co.uk>2018/09/12 
  • TomD77
    TomD77 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Connected
    Ah this explains it, I was looking through goverment uk site and I never saw any mention on those. So I can assume they aren't legal in UK at all it seems. KInd of a bummer really : /

    Basically a caretaker of disabled or very old person can't drive them to enjoy simple outdoors ride, just because it has 2 seats. The specs are even the same as single person class-3 mobility scooter from that site I linked up (apart from length anda bit more weight to carry.)

    Oh well, there's hoping this law changes sometime, since you can legally drive tandems like that in EU. Still, many thanks for your aid @janer1967
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Its strange if they sell them they cant be used. Though I checked few different references about it. 

    Maybe ring a shop that specialises in mobility scooters see what they say they may have alternative suggestion 
  • Chloe_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    Hi @TomD77, on the website you have linked, it does say they are allowed on the pavement. I cannot advise if this is right, but you could always ring the company.
  • TomD77
    TomD77 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Connected
    Sorry for the late reply everyone, was taking a break, thank you all for your insight I really appreciate it. It turns out in the UK it's best to not use the dual seaters as mobility scooters, it is a bit stupid law IMO but apparently that's how things are. No such problem in anywhere else in EU though.
  • Chloe_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    That's okay @TomD77. I hope you are able to find something suitable.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Hi,

    I know i'm a little late replying to this but just thought i'd add that when i was shopping last week, i seen one of the ones with 1 seat on the pavement. Infact it was around the shopping centre when i see it. Can't advise about the 2 seater ones though, although if it states road and pavement legal then they must be. They wouldn't be advertising them as legal, if they weren't because that would be classed as faulse advertising.

    It looked really nice too, although i must admit it was huge. You would need some where large to store it though.

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